mattinair wrote:Neil I know it's not prototype but could you put a dump-truck bed on the back of those wonderful looking little snout nosed van things you've been posting lately...(?)

They did make a pick up version of the Austin 7 - or at least customer coachbuilders did - but I do not think a dump truck would work very well. You saw the images out of context, so may not realise how small that vehicle is. When I put it against my T scale Dodge Charger it is barely longer than the Charger is wide!

Not saying I will not create a dump truck, as I do want some myself. Maybe if I get time over Christmas I will look into it (but with the usual disclaimer that I can be distracted and end up doing something entirely different!)

dkightley wrote:I'm not a fan of Shapeways....purely on the basis that the way I develop models (initial design...print...modify design....print...modify design, etc) would end up far too expensive and take way too long for me to keep up interest in what I'm doing. I like to develop the finished article....rather than the virtual design!!

Now I've really got to grips with how it can be set up, my printer can successfully printing 0.05mm layers with a 0.2mm nozzle. Once I've finished mass printing for The Bridge, I'll have to see what small items I can successfully produce.

I'm a tad disappointed with Shapeways. Some buildings were done very well but are too small a scale to fit in with 1/450 buildings. (I may offer them here for the price of the postage in the end). But none can beat your work.

I bought a station building alleged to have fine detail. It would have but for the texture of the plastic overtaking the detail, making it impossible to paint! A spotting sable might do it but it would be quicker to do the thing in card. The windows were supposed to be transparent but on washing them they went opaque. So, I'm wary now. Wagon bodies I bought are fine.

Would that be my station building you ordered? If so then you must have selected to print in White Stong Flexible (WSF) rather than Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD), because all the sales I have had for this have been in that material. This is the only model where I allowed this choice - in fact it is the only one of my models that will print in this material.

In a previous post I did a comparison photo of WSF and FUD to show the difference in detail from the same model printed in both. The difference is quite clear to see

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As to cleaning the models - talking about FUD or FXD here - there are two ways;First method, soaking in white spirits or other alcohol based solution. This will clean very effectively, but the model will come out of the wash white (or will turn white as it dries)Second method, scrubbing in warm water with a mild detergent, followed by a thorough rinse. This is more work, but doing it this way leaves the model clear, so is what you want if you are after clear windows.

The latter is how I cleaned my station building. I have just recently completed the painting on this, and will add it to my own thread when I have taken a photo.

As for size - models on Shapeways can easily be resized directly on the site by the models owner, without needing to go back to the original 3d model. My station is a model of a small station, inspired by a model I saw on a layout, so was really designed for more of a light railway look rather than any kind of mainline station.

No, Neil, wasn't that one. I forget which (to name it) so I'll have to look it up on Shapeways. But basically the model is notionally fine - the detail is there but lost under the grain of the printing. If I had a drill more akin to a dentist drill than a dremel plus a very steady hand.... well, it's a choice of spending time trying to sort it out or use a spotting brush to try to dot in the detail...

If it can be rescued it's a lot better than I could do with card. The station is one of those "areas of interest" so I'll be looking at it a bit further on. Huh, the rate I'm going it'll probably be the middle of next year!

I just finished chatting with Stony, the designer I linked to, and he said he would be happy to address any issues we have. I looked closer at the set online and it looks like the road grader referenced in the picture is much larger than the other equipment. How does the other equipment compare to T scale trains?

Well here's a photo of a front-loader and a bulldozer next to one of Neil's Rovers....Stony's stuff has really incredible detail...the tracks and wheels actually have tread on them !!!.....I'm using one of the bulldozers in the background on my layout....some of the very largest bulldozers are this big.....

DSCN1599_01.JPG (97.65 KiB) Viewed 2390 times

there are front-loaders that big but not this type...the front wheel on the loader should be about the same size as the wheel on Neil's Rover....Stony's stuff is great but I could live without the tread and wouldn't be bothered if the shovel on the loader was attached with just a single tab Etc. Etc if they were just a little smaller...I'll try and post some photos of a "shapeway bashed" loader I've started on...I actually bought some really neat looking dump trucks from Stony but they were in TT (N(?))scale ....I tried several times to contact Stony about making a simpler version of the same design in t 1/450 scale but he never got back to me...may be you would have better luck...(?)